Compressed feed machine



y 30, 1939- 1 w. BILLOWS 2,160,302

COMPRESSED FEED MACHINE Filed April 25, 1 938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR J'aH/v N B/LLOW:

7 TORNEY y 1939- J. w. BILLOWS 2,160,302

COMPRESSED FEED MACHINE Filed April 25, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR JOH/V 14/ B/LLONJ Patented Ma 30, 1939 I V I 2,1302. I

; om'rso STATES PATENT OFFICE COMPRESSED FEED MACHINE John W. Billows, Portland, Oreg., assignor to A. Popick Manufacturing Company, Portland, reg., a corporation of Oregon Application April 25,1938, Serial No. 204,144

19 Claims. (Cl. 107-8) This invention relates to machines for comarea surrounded by the die and which frictionally pressing a conglomerate, plastic or semi-plastic force the material through the die by a wiping mass and forming pellets, cakes, or other shapes action exerted against the plastic or semi-plastic of suitable size and consistency from such commaterial and the operation of which may be pressed materials in order that the resulting viewed at all times. 5 product may be used for fowl and animal foods. An equally important object of the invention is The invention has a closer aflinity to machines to provide an annular ring die having a groove forming compressed feeds employing ring dies therein which forms a track for the compressing than to machines generally known in the trade shoes.

as thescrew-worm type of molding machines. Other objects of the invention and features 10 One of the greatest difiiculties with the present possessing novelty will become apparent as the type of. compressed feeds machines, whether they following detailed description unfolds itself. In are of the screw-worm type or of the roller the accompanying drawings, forming a part of type employing an annular ring die, is that it the specification herein, there is shown the preis impossible to view the interior of the machine ferred embodiment of the invention but is herein 16 during its operation in order to determine employed. only for the purpose of illustrating one whether sufficient material is being fed between mode of embodying the principles of the inventhe compressing means and the interior of the tion. die or whether the adjustment between the die In the accompanying drawings, in which the and the compressing means is satisfactory. The same reference characters are uniformly em- 20 present method employed is to first adjust the ployed to designate the same parts throughout: machine in accordance with the wishes of the Figure l is a side elevation of a compressed operator, then to force material through the mafeeds machine embodying the principles of the chine and, if the adjustment is not satisfactory, invention, I to stop the operation and make the adjustment Figure 2 is a sectional side view, taken on line thought advisable and again to place the ma- 2-2 of Figure 1 looking in the direction indichine in operation and in time obtaining the decated, showing the structural characteristics of sired adjustment by this trial and error method. the interior of the machine embodying the prin- It is the essence of the invention to provide a ciples of the invention. machine which will eliminate this and other Figure 3 is a top, plan view, partly in section 30 inherent disadvantages found in the present type and partly broken away, of the machine shown of machines. in Figures 1 and 2.

One of the features of the invention is that, Figure 4 is a sectional, side view, taken on line subject only to commercial practicability, the 4-4 of Figure 3 looking in the direction indibasic design and principles of operation of the cated, showing some details of construction. 5

invention are in no way afiected by the size of Figure5 is a perspective view of afragment the unit. The very essence of the invention lies of one of the members employed in holding the in the provision of. means for permitting-adjust-' cutting knives and scrapers.

ments of the distance between the interior of the Figure 6 is a top, plan view of a supporting 40 die and the shoe portion of the compressing plate employed to support the cammed member 40 means in order to control the volume of feed and compressing members.

which may be forced through a die possessing Figure 7 is a perspective view of one of the perforations in a predetermined area and thus compressing members or shoes; and

insuring that suflicient material will be fed Figure 8 is a perspective view of oneof the 5 through the die in order to produce feeds of shoe cam-bearing members. uniform size, density, and quality. The compressed feeds machine embodying the Another important object of the invention is principles of the invention is mounted on a. base to provide means for compensating for wear of l, as shown in Figure 1, although the machine the die and the shoes, caused during the opercan be secured directly to a floor or any other ation of the machine. support. A casing A for the compressed feeds 50 Still another object of the invention is the machine embodying the invention is composed of provision of a machine having a ring die through sections 2 and 3. Section 2 of the casing is sewhich a plastic or semi-plastic material may be cured to the base I by any desirable means, as, continuously extruded through the employment for example, by the bolts 4 which provide satisof one or more shoes which operate within the factory anchorage between section 2 and base I 55 The bottom flange 6 of section 3 of the casing is disposed upon and secured to the top flange 5 of section 2. Securing means of a type similar to those employed in securing section 2 to base I are also employed in securing sections 2 and 3 together, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, to-wit: by bolt and nut assemblies 1.

When sections 2 and 3 are secured together as heretofore pointed out, a chamber 8 is provided therebetween which has suflicient area therein to house the shaft, bearings, and gearing shortly to be described. Since this chamber 8 is partly fllled with a lubricant, it is obviousthat, for the purpose of insuring against leakage between the two sections, a gasket must be placed between the top flange 5 of section 2 and the bottom flange 6 of section 3.

A bearing support 9 is disposed near the top 5 of and extends inwardly from the wall of section 2 and possesses the structural requirements for securely supporting a bearing l0 therein. The type of bearing preferably employed in this location is a radial bearing of any well-known type suitable for this work. A gasketed plate II is removably secured to the under side of the bearing support 9. This plate, when removed, gives access to the radial bearing Ill and, when secured in place, insures against the loss of any lubricant contained in chamber 8.

Section 3 of the casing A has a bearing support l2 extending downwardly from its top l3. Bearing support I2 is in direct alignment with bearing support 9 and has bearing l4 securely conflned therein. Bearing I4 is preferably a thrust bearing of any well-known type capable of resisting the normal upward thrust incident -to the operation of a machine embodying this invention. A shaft l5 extends vertically through bearings I3 and H and is secured to the inner races of bearings I0 and H by the employment of means too well-known to warrant description and passes through opening I6 formed through the top l3 of section 3 and extends beyond the top |3 of section 3 a distance sufficient to provide support for other elements not yet described.

A gear wheel I1 is keyed or otherwise firmly secured to shaft l5 and is completely conflned within the chamber 8. -A helical pinion i8 is at all times in mesh with gear wheel l1 and is mounted on a shaft 2| journaled within the casing, as shown in Figure 1, in bearings (not shown) at each end of the transverse cylindrical portions l9 and 20 of easing sections 2 and 3,

so that the shaft 2| extends beyond the casing A.

A power unit B, shown in the drawings as an electric motor 22, is secured to base by any desirable means, and has its shaft 23 connected to shaft 2| by a coupling member 24. The fact that the source of power used for driving the compressed feeds machine is shown in the drawings to be an electric motor should not'be considered limitational since it is possible, without altering the construction of the compressed feeds machine, to obtain power from a line shaft by means of a pulley or sprocket attached to shaft 2|. Furthermore it is well to point out that the machine may be positively driven by a vertically mounted, electric motor with an integral speed reducer directly connected to shaft I5 and confined entirely within the interior 25 formed by section 2 of the casing A.

Attention is again directed to section 3 of casing A in order to describe in detail the structuralcharacteristics of the top I 3 of this section. A downwardly inclined surface 26 extends annuiarly around the top surface II. An annular groove 21 is formed within the top ll adjacent to the annular surface 28. This groove is partly formed on a horizontal plane and partly on an inclined plane. The inclined portion of the annular groove 21 extends in the same direction as the inclined surface 26, although they lie in different planes. An annular wall 28 is formed at the juncture of the inclined surface 23 and the horizontal portion of the annular groove 21. The annular die ring 0 forthwith to be described in detail is seated upon the horizontal portion of groove 21 and positioned against wall 23.

It is now believed advisable to described in detail the characteristics of the die C. The die consists of an annular tapered ring 29 which is removably positioned with respect to top l3 of section 3 in the manner stated above. The tapering of the die is largely for the convenience of drilling the openings 33 therethrough. Consequently, it must be assumed that any type of annular ring die which may flt the contours of the top |3 of section 3 and comply with the structural requirements for the purpose of producing the work required may be employed without deviating materially from the principles of the invention. The die has a pluralty of openings 30 formed therethrough. The size and shape of the openings are different for each die and depend largely upon the type of compressed feeds that it is desired to have manufactured. More will be said later about the interchangeability of dies. These openings are radially disposed with relation to the die and are inclined proportionately to the taper of the die shown in the drawings. By cuttingout from the die an annular portion as shown at 3|, the base 32 of the die is made slightly narrower in width than the width of the horizontal portion of annular groove 21, upon which the base 32 is seated. The height of the cut-out portion 3| is equal to the height of annular wall 28 against which the die C is positioned. It should at once become apparent that by this arrangement the horizontal portion of groove 21 provides a seat for the base 32 of the die and the annular wall 28 provides anchorage for the die and takes up some of the thrust resulting during the compression of the material, when the machine is operated. An annular groove 33,0f a width equal to the width of that portion of die C through which the openings 3|! are formed, is formed within the inner face 34 of die C. The purpose of the groove 33 will shortly become apparent.

A supporting plate D, a top plan view of which is shown in Figure 6, is keyed or otherwise firmly secured to shaft I5 so that it may rotate with the shaft as its axis. The supporting plate D consists of an externally threaded hub 36 and of a pair of wings 31 and 38 extending outwardly from and on opposite sides of the base of the hub 36, The portions 31' and 38' of wings 31 and 38 both lie in the same horizontal plane, but the portions 31" and 38" are inclined in the same directions and lie in the same plane as the inclined surface 25 of top l3 of section 3, when the supporting plate is in position about shaft Is. An open-ended slot 39 is formed within the inclined portion 31" of wing 31 and a similarly formed open-ended slot 40 is disposed within the inclined portion 38" of wing 38. These slots are in direct alignment with, but open in opposite directions from each other. A shoulder 4| is provided on the shaft l5 adjacent the opening IS in the top l3 of section 3. In this way the mate'- rials to be compressed cannot enter into chamber 8 and affect the bearings and gears contained therein, A nut 43 is threaded on shaft i5 and positioned against the top of the hub36 of the supporting plate D so that the plate is securely held in place on shaft I5 and yet may be readily removed therefrom by merely removing the nut 43 from shaft l5. It is this supporting plate D which carries the multi-cammed member and compressing members to be described forthwith.

A multi-cammed member E is movably disposed around the outside of the hub 36 of the supporting plate and has its base 45 seated upon the horizontal portions 31" and 38 of wings 31 and 38 respectively. Cammed member E has its periphery cammed as shown at 46 and 47. These cammed faces 48 and 41 are parallel to the inner face 34 of the die C. The cammed member E is capable of rotation around'the hub 36 of supporting plate D as stated before, but it is locked securely against the hub, when desired, by threaded member 58 which is threaded'about the hub 36 of supporting plate D.

A slightly arcuated compressing member or shoe F is positioned upon the inclined portion 31" of wing 31 of supporting plate D and a similarly slightly arcuated compressing member or shoe F is positioned upon the inclined portion 38". of wing 38 of plate D. Each of the compressing members F and F has the same structural characteristics. Therefore, for the purpose of clarity and convenience, the detailed description of member F shown in detail in Figures 4 and 7 should suffice as a full description of the compressing member F. It should be noted, however, that the reference characters employed in describing compressing member F will be primed while those placed upon compressing member F will not be primed in order to differentiate the respective positions of compressing members F and F upon the supporting plate D and in relation to cammed member E.

Referring now to Figure '7, compressing member F has a slightly convexed side SI and a slightly concave side 52. The convexity of side 5| has substantially the same curvature as the 'inner face 34 of die C and the concavity of the side 52 is identical to the curvature of the cam face 41 of cammed member E. An arcuately shaped recess 53 is formed within the side 52 of member F. A bearing member 54, shown in Figure 8 and in dotted position in Figure 3, is shaped to fit the contour of recess 53' and fits loosely within said recess so that it can readily present its concave face 55' to the cam face 41 of member E. The contour of face 55 is identical to the contour of cam face 41. An opening 58 passes through member F as shown in Figure '7. When compressing member F is properly positioned upon the inclined portion 38 of wing 38 of plate D, opening 53 is in registerable alignment with the open-ended slot 40. A threaded bolt 51, the diameter of which is substantially equal to the width of the slot, is placed within slot 48 and passes through opening 58. Bolt 51 has ahead 58, the diameter of which is greater than thewidth of the slot. This head rests against the under-side of inclined portion 38 of wing 38 and when the nut 59 is threadably secured to the bolt 51, compressing member F is held securely against plate D. The positions of end 60' of compressing member F with respect to plate D, inner face 34 of die C, and annular groove 33 is controlled and may be adjusted by rotating cammed member E. Such adjustability is essential as will appear later. Another recess 6|, having an open side therein, is formed within the concave side 52 of member F. pass through the top and bottom of member F in direct alignment with each other. A shaft 63 is movably positioned within openings 62'. A cam 83 is secured to shaft 63' and is confined completely within the open-sided recess 6|. A second bearing member is positioned complementary to the cam 88' and has its concave face 66, equal in curvature to the curvature of cam face 81, at all times in contact with the cam face 4! of member E. The position of cam M and its complementary member 65' in relation to-cam face 41 is controlled by moving the handle 31' which is secured to -the top portion of shaft 63. A number of recesses 88', shown in the drawings to be three in number, although a greater or a lesser number may be employed, act as stops for the handle 81 which has a springretained pin 69 positioned near its end and which may be placed in registerable alignment with any one of the recesses 88'.

The relation of compressing members F and F to the supporting plate D, cammed member E, and die C is graphically shown in Figures 2 and 3. It is obvious from the previous description Openings 82 that each member F and F is subject to two adjustments, namely. on the one hand they may bemoved toward or away from'inner face 34 of die C by shifting cammed member E, the cam surfaces 48 and 41 of which contact bearing members 55 and 55' respectively; on the other hand, by rotating the cams 64 and 84 so that the end of the shoe is pushed toward or away, as the case may be, from the surface of the die 0 without affecting the position of the end 68' of the shoe with relation to the. die. The first adjustment is essential to compensate for the wear incident to the operation of the machine, since the frictional engagement of ends 60 and 68 with the inner face 24 of die D eventually results in wear of the compressing members F and Fand the die C. The second adjustment is essential in order to control the flow and volume of feed permitted to enter between the compressing members -F and F and the inner face 34 of the die C. This adjustment is essential in order to produce feeds ofuniform size and density. The necessity of such an adjustment becomes obvious when consideration is given to the fact that it is within the contemplation of the invention to use dies having openings of different sizes and shapes in order to produce feeds of different sizes, shapes, and consistency. Before passing on to describe additional structure employed in the machine embodying the principles of this invention, it is necessary to point out that the height of compressing members F and F is equal to the width of the groove 33 formed within the inner face 34 of die C. This arrangement is necessary for the effective operation of the machine, since ends 60 and 60 of compressing member F and F respectively ride within the groove 33, as shown at 85 and 85. Thus groove 33 acts as a trackway for the rear portion of members F and F and has the quality of preventing the material that is fed between the members F and F" and the inner face 34 of die 0, from going in any direction except through the openings 30 formed in the die. It is true that a die not having such a groove 33 to form a trackway for the members F and F would work efficiently but it would not work-so efficiently as a die possessing this annular groove 33.

the material and gradually force it toward the ing the material as it is extruded in compressed inner face 34 of die C and into annular groove 93.

form through the openings 88. This is accomplished by providing a hub 10 which is keyed or otherwise secured to shaft IS. The hub has as many arms ll extending therefrom as there are compressing members F and F, in the present case two arms being shown. The .arms II are positioned slightly in rear of the shoes F and F with respect to direction of rotation. Each arm II has a downwardly extending elbow I2, as shown in Figure 5, which is hinged to arm Ii as shown at 13. When member 12 is extended and in working position, it is parallel to the outer face 35 of die C. The hinged arms 12 are held in fixed position, whenever desired, by pins 14 which may be pulled out, whenever it is desired to raise the arm either to change the cutting members or for other purposes. A cutting member 15 is secured to a shaft 16 which in turn is secured to*- near the ends of each arm 12. The shaft 16 of [each arm is held at all times in extended position and against the other face 35 of the die, when the arms are down, by springs TI. The sharp edges of stripping blades 15 contact the outer face 35 of die C at a tangent and cut the compressed material into small portions as it is extended'through the openings 30.

Sweeper blades 18 are secured to the ends of the downwardly extending arms I2. These blades co-ntactthe inclined surface 26 and are slightly angularly positioned for a purpose to be explained forthwith. A skirt 19 is removably secured to and is disposed upon the edge of the inclined surface 26 of section 3 of easing A. The skirt has a plurality of outlets placed at intervals therearound. It is the natural tendency of the cut portions, as they are stripped from the die C, to

'fall toward the meeting edge formed btween skirt 19 and inclined surface 26 because of the inclination of surface 26 and the action of cutting members 15. Obviously it is a simple matter for the angularly disposed sweeper blades 18 to sweep the materials toward the outlets 88 and force said material through the outlets when passing by them.

A meal formed by combining various animal, vegetable, grain, or other sundry material, or a combination of these, depending upon the type of feeds to be manufactured, is delivered into the spaces or areas 48 and 49 found between the ring die C and the shoes F and F. Delivery of this conglomerate mass to spaces 48 and 49 may be made by any desirable means. In Figure 1 a feeder 8| has its hub 82 resting upon the top of shaft l5. The hub is secured to the shaft so that the hopper may rotate as the shaft is rotated. A pair of chutes 83 and 84 extend downwardly from and communicate with the interior of the hopper 8i. These chutes lead directly to areas 48 and 49 and hence the conglomerate mass in the hopper will be delivered into these areas.

This completes the detailed description of the invention. It is advisable now to explain the mode of operation of the invention.

M Odus operandi As shown in Figure 3, the machine embodying the principles of the invention operates counterclockwise, although by shifting the elements around it may be made to operate clockwise.

As the feed enters into spaces 48 and 49 from chutes 83 and 84, the side ii of compressing member F and Si of compressing member F contacts Since the shaft I! to which the supporting plate D. cammed member E, and compressing members F and F' are directly and indirectly secured, rotates, only a portion of each side 58 and 5| of compressing members F and F' respectively actually contact the die C. The front portion controls the direction and the volume of flow of the material into annular groove 83. It is obvious that the material is gradually forced through the openings III in die C by the wiping action of the compressing members as they move counterclockwise by the rotation of shaft l5. Each of the compressing members F and F may be adjusted for wear and also for determining the rate of flow of the material into groove 33 of that die so that the size and quality of the resulting product can be controlled. As the material is forced through the openings 38 of the die C, it is eventually extruded. Since the sharp edges of the cutting members 15 are at all times in contact with the outer face 35 of die 0 and are positioned immediately in rear of the compressing members F and F, the extruded ribbons are stripped from the outer face of the die since the arms to which the knives are secured rotate with shaft l5.

While the foregoing description covers a compressed feeds machine employing two compressing members, it is understood that the principles of the invention can readily be embodied in a machine embodying more than two compressing members without deviating from the spirit thereof; and while a particular form of the invention was employed for the purposes of illustration and description, it is of course obvious that the principles of the invention may be embodied in slightly modified structure without departing from the spirit of the invention. Hence, it is to be understood that 'I do not limit myself to the precise construction set forth and desire therefore that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are embodied by and specifically set forth in the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a machine of the character described, a horizontally positioned stationary annular die provided with a plurality of spaced, radially disposed openings, a shaft axially disposed with relation to said die, means secured to said shaft and operatively confined within the space surrounded by the die, said means adapted to force the material delivered into said space toward said die to be extruded through the openings in said die by exerting a wiping action thereupon, and independent means for adjusting the position of the front and rear portions of the first-mentioned means relative to the inner face of the die.

2. In a machine of the character desc -d n annular die provided with a plurality of spaced, radially disposed openings, a shaft axially disposed with relation to said die, means secured to said shaft and operatively confined within the sition of the front and rear portions of the firstmentioned means relative to the inner face of the die, and stripping members angularly disposed against the outer face of the die for cutting the extruded material into the desired lengths.

3. In a machine of the character described, an annular die provided with a plurality of spaced, radially disposed openings, a shaft axially disposed with relation to said die, means secured to said shaft and operatively confined within the space surrounded by the die, said means adapted to force the material delivered into said space toward said die to be extruded through the openings in said die by exerting a wiping action thereupon, independent means for adjusting the position of the front and rear portions of the firstmentioned means relative to the inner face of the die, stripping members angularly disposed against the outer face of the die for cutting the extruded material into the desired lengths, and means for actuating said shaft. I

4. In a machine characterized as in claim 3 wherein the means secured to said shaft and operatively confined within the space surrounded by the die adapted to force the material delivered into said space toward said die to be extruded through the openings in said die by exerting a wiping action thereupon comprises a supporting plate secured to said shaft and a plurality of compressing members supported upon said supporting plate.

5. A machine characterized as in claim 3 wherein the independent means for adjusting the first-mentioned means comprises a multi-cammed member, having cam faces thereon, disposed upon said shaft and subject to adjustment when desired relative to said shaft, a cam and a bearing member disposed complementary to the cam faces of said multi-cammed member, a second bearing member disposed complementary to the cam faces of said multi-cammed member, and means for varying the position of the cam relative to the first-mentioned bearing member, in order to vary the position of the first-mentioned means relative to the inner face of the die.

6. In a machine of the character described, a

horizontally positioned stationary ring die prosaid die, a plurality of compressing members indirectly secured to said shaft and arranged in spaced relation within the space surrounded by said die, each of said compressing members being angularly disposed relative to the inner face of the die and adapted to catch the material delivered between the inner face of the die and the working face of the compressing members and to extrude said material through the openings in said die by the friction exerted against said material during the rotation of the shaft, and independent means for adjusting the front and rear portions of the compressing members.

'7. In a machine of the character described, a stationary ring die provided with a plurality of spaced, radially disposed openings,'means for supporting said die, said means adapted to absorb a portion of the radial pressure created during the operation of the machine, a shaft axially disposed with relation to said die, a plurality of compressing members indirectly secured to said shaft and arranged in spaced relation within the' space surrounded by said die, each of said compressing members being angularly disposed relative to the inner face of the die and adapted to catch the material delivered between the inner face of the die and the working face of the com- I pressing members and to extrude said material through the openings in said die by the friction exerted against said material during therotation of the shaft, and means for providing two independently operated adjustments for each of said compressing members to vary the spacing between the inner face of the die and the working face of the compressing members.

8. In a machine of the character described, a stationary ring die provided with a pluralityof spaced, radially disposed openings, means for supporting said die, said means adapted to absorb a portion of the radial pressure created during the operation of the machine, a shaft axially disposed with relation to said die, a plurality of compressing members indirectly secured to said shaft and arranged in spaced relation within the space surrounded by said die, each of said compressing members being angularly disposed relative to the inner face of the die'and adapted to catch the material delivered between the inner face of the die and the working face of the compressing members and to extrude said material through the openings in said die by the friction exerted against said material during the rotation of the shaft, means for providing two independ ently operated adjustments for the front and rear portions of each of said compressing members to vary the spacing between the inner face of the die and the working face of the compressing members, and a plurality of stripping members angularlydisposed against the outer face of the die for cutting the extruded material into the desired lengths. I

9. In a machine of the character described, a stationary, annular die provided with a plurality of spaced, radially disposed openings, means for supporting said die, a shaft journaled within said means and disposed axially with relation to said die, a supporting plate secured to said shaft and confined entirely within the space surrounded by said die, a plurality of compressing members supported upon said supporting plate, each of said compressing members being disposed with relation to the inner face of the ,die so that its forward end is spaced from the inner face of the die and the rearward end is positioned in close proximity to the inner face of the die, means associated with said compressing members for adjusting the spacing of the rear end of said compressing members with relation to the inner face of the die, and means associated with the front end of said compressing means for varying the position, when desired, of said compressing members to the inner face of the die.

10. In a machine of the character described, a stationary, annular die provided with a plurality of spaced, radially disposed openings, means for supporting said die, a shaft journaled within said means and disposed axially with relation to said die, a supporting plate secured to said shaft and confined entirely within the space surrounded by said die, a plurality of compressing members supported upon said supporting plate, each of said compressing members being disposed with relation to the inner face of the die so that its forward end is spaced from the inner face of the die and the rearward end is positioned in close proximity to the inner face of the die, means associated with said compressing members for adjusting the spacing of the rear end of said comfor adjusting the spacing of the front end of said feed compressing members with relation to the inner face of the die.

11-. In a machine of the character described, a stationary, annular die provided with a plurality of spaced, radially disposed openings, means for supporting said die, a shaft journaled within said means and disposed axially with relation to said die, a supporting plate secured to said shaft and confined entirely within the space surrounded by said die, a plurality of compressing members supported upon said supporting plate, each of said compressing members being disposed with relation to the inner face of the die so that its forward end is spaced from the inner face of the i die and the rearward end is positioned in close proximity to the inner face of the die, means associated with said compressing members for adjusting the spacing of the rear end of said compressing members with relation to the inner face of the die, independently operated means associated with feed compressing members for adjusting the spacing of the front end of feed compressing members with relation to the inner face of the die, a multiarmed member secured to the shaft, and stripping members secured to said arms and angularly disposed against the tapered outer face of said die for cutting the extruded material into the desired lengths.

12. In a machine of the character described, a stationary, annular die provided with a plurality of spaced, radially disposed openings, means for supporting said die, a shaft journaled within said means and disposed axially with relation to said die, a supporting plate secured to said shaft and confined entirely within the space surrounded by said die, a plurality of compressing members supported upon said supporting plate, each of said compressing members being disposed with relation to the inner face of the die so that its forward end is spaced from the inner face of the die and the rearward end is positioned in close proximity to the inner face of the die, means associated with said compressing members for adjusting the spacing of the rear end of said compressing members with relation to the inner face of the die, independently operated means associated with feed compressingmembers for adjusting the spacing of the front end of feed compressing members with relation to the inner face of the die, a multi-armed member secured to the shaft, stripping members securedto said arms and angularly disposed against the tapered outer face of said die for cutting the extruded material into the desired lengths, and a sweeper blade depending from each of said arms adapted to sweep the cut materials toward a central station.

13. In a machine of the character described, a stationary ring die provided with a plurality of spaced, radially disposed openings and an annular recess formed within its inner face, means for supporting said die, a shaft journaled within said means and disposed axially with relation to said die, a supporting plate secured to said shaft, a plurality of compressing members supported upon said supporting plate, each of said compressing members being disposed with relation to the inner face of the die so that the forward end is spaced from the inner face of the die and the rearward end is positioned in close proximity to and within the annular recess of the inner face of the die, means associated with said compressing members for adjusting the spacing of the rear end of said compressing members with relation to the inner face of the die, and means for adlusting the spacing between the inner face of the die and the front 11 end of said compressing members.

14. In a machine of the character described, a stationary ring die provided with a plurality of spaced, radially disposed openings and an annular recess formed within its inner face, means for supporting said die, a shaft journaled within said means and disposed axially with relation to said die, a supporting plate secured to said shaft, said supporting plate having a pair of open-ended slots therein, a multi-cammed member supported upon said supporting plate and movable relative thereto, a plurality of compressing members supported upon said supporting plate and having one of their sides positioned adjacent to the multi-cammed member, each of said compressing members having one of its ends in close proximity to and within the annular recess of the inner face of the die and the other of its ends disposed in spaced relation to the inner face of the die, and independently operated means associated with each compressing member for adjusting the position of their front and rear ends relative to the inner face of the die.

15. A machine characterized as in claim 14 wherein the compressing members each comprise an arcuately shaped member, the concave side of which has a small recess and an elongated, openended recess therein, a bearing member fitted within the small recess and adapted to at all times ride against the cam surface of the multicammed member, a shaft confined within the elongated open-ended recess, a cam fitted on said shaft, a second bearing member associated with said camand adapted to at all times ride against the cam surface of the multi-cammed member, and a handle secured to the shaft adapted to change the position of the cam with relation to the second cam bearing to thereby permit the adjustment of the front end of the compressing member with relation to the inner face of the die.

16. In a machine of the character described, a stationary tapered ring die provided with a plurality of spaced, radially disposed openings and having an annular recess formed within its inner face, means for supporting said die and for providing a confined area; into which the extruded cut material may fall, a shaft extending upwardly from and journaled within said means and disposed axially with relation to said die, means for driving said shaft, a supporting plate secured to said shaft and confined entirely within the space surrounded bysaid die, said supporting plate having a pair of open-ended slots therein, a multi-cammed member disposed upon said supporting plate and movable relative thereto, said multi-cammed member having identical cam faces, the faces of which are parallel to the inner face of the die, compressing members supported on said supporting plate movable with relation to said slots adapted to contact the cam faces of the multi-cammed member, said compressing members having their rear ends disposed within the annular recess of and in close proximity to the inner face of the die, and means associated with each of said compressing members for independently adjusting the rear end of said compressing members when desired and the front end of said compressing members when desired.

- 17. In a machine of the character described,

a stationary tapered ring die provided with a plurality of spaced, radially disposed openings and having an annular recess formed within its inner face, means for supporting said die and for providing a confined area into which the extruded cut material may fall, a shaft extending upwardly from and journaled within said means and disposed axially with relation to said die, means for driving said shaft, a supporting plate secured to said shaft and confined entirely within the space surrounded by said die, said supporting plate having a pair of open-ended slots therein, a multi-cammed member disposed upon said supporting plate and movable relative thereto, said multi-cammed ,member having identical cam faces, the faces of which are parallel to the inner face of the die, compressing members supported on said supporting plate movable with relation to said slots adapted to contact the cam faces of the multi-cammed member, said com pressing members having their rear ends disposed within the annular recess of and in close proximity to the inner face of the die, means associated with each of said compressing members for independently adjusting the rear end of said compressing members when desired and the front end of said compressing members when desired, downwardly extending arms secured to said shaft and having their ends positioned in spaced parallel relation to the outer face of the die, stripping members secured to said ends of the arms and angularly positioned against the outer face of the die, and sweeper blades depending from said ends of the arms.

18. In a machine of the character described, a horizontally positioned annular die provided with a plurality of spaced, radially disposed openings, a shaft axially disposed with relation to said die, means secured to said shaft and oper- 40 atively confined within the space surrounded by the die, said means adapted to force the material delivered into said space toward said die to be extruded through the openings in said die by exerting a wiping action thereupon, and independently operated means for adjusting the front and rear portions of the first-mentioned means relative to the inner face of the die.

19. In amachine of the character described, an annular die provided with a plurality of spaced radially disposed openings, means for supporting said die, a shaft axially disposed with,

relation to said die, means secured to said shaft and operatively confined within the space surrounded by the die, compressing members adjustably supported upon said supporting plate, said compressing members adapted to force the material delivered into said space toward said die to be extruded through the openings in said die by exerting a, wiping action thereupon, independently operated means for adjusting the position of the front and rear portions of the first-mentioned means relative to the inner face of the die, said means comprising a multicammed member, having cam faces thereon, disposed upon and subject to adjustment, when desired, relative to said shaft, a cam and a bearing member operatively associated with each other at the front of each of said shoes with said bearing member disposed complementary to the cam faces of said multi-cammed member, and a second bearing member disposed at the rear of each of said shoes adapted to at all times ride against thev cam faces of the multi-cammed member, and means for varying the position of the cam relative to the first-mentioned bearing member in order to vary the position of the first-mentioned means relative to the inner face of the die.

JOHN W. BIL-LOWS. 

